Only For You
by melancholicreveriepatd
Summary: Season 2 episode 2: The Other Dr. L. Mindy, along with Paul and the rest of the office - minus Danny, of course - go out for drinks.


**A/N: Okay so I decided that I needed to write some dandy fic based on the promo for tomorrow's episode. From what I could see, it looks like Danny isn't out drinking with the office, so I wrote based on that. Warning, there is fluff. All the fluff. Enjoy!**

**- Allie**

* * *

"Nah, I'm good," Danny shook his head without even bothering to look up from his files. Mindy, who was leaning against the receptionist counter with him and standing a little too close for comfort – at least for him, anyway – let out a restrained chuckle that was almost quiet enough for Danny to miss. Almost, but not quite. He glanced over at her and raised his eyebrow in question.

"Hm? What? I didn't say anything," She smiled sweetly, turning back to walk towards her office. "Oh and Paul," She announced, her voice holding something Danny couldn't quite place, "I'll be there at ten."

She then sauntered back into her office, purposefully strutting in a way that always left Danny staring after her just a second longer than most would perceive as normal. He followed her, almost instinctively, not really thinking about why he did it. She was sitting at her desk typing away at her computer. She spotted him in the doorway and looked up from her screen.

"Yes, Doctor Castellano?" She smiled smugly, though it didn't quite reach her eyes fully.

"What was the attitude about out there, hm?"

"Danny I just knew you weren't going to go, okay? Not really your scene," she replied more casually than he had expected. He continued to stand there, wordless.

"Are you just gonna stand there, or…?"

"You know I hate going to these things and I'm not the biggest fan of Paul so I just-" He rambled until she cut him off.

"Hey, easy dude. I know, I get it. I just thought you wouldn't mind tagging along for once is all," she looked back down at her computer screen and returned to typing. After a few long moments of Danny's silence she chimed in again.

"Would you mind? I have work to do. You know, some of us here actually do that," She spat, and it sounded to Danny that there was true venom in her voice. He didn't understand.

"Alright, alright," He lifted his hands in surrender. "Text or call me whenever, okay? You know, if you need me."

"Yeah, sure" She said half-heartedly. Danny then exited her office and went back to his own, feeling kind of unsettled and guilty. She seemed almost angry with him for not going tonight.

_Strange,_ he thought.

* * *

"Mindy, hi," Danny answered his phone. After her behaviour in the office earlier that day he hadn't expected her to call. Yet there she was, slurring profusely on the other end. _Great_, he moaned internally, tiredly sliding a hand down his face, _she's drunk… already. _It was just passed midnight.

"Danny, on a scale of one to – What? What was that Morgan?!" She screeched. Danny rolled his eyes and began slipping on his shoes and his favourite black leather jacket. He heard an insane amount of noise and thumping music in the background.

"Min!" He called, trying to focus back her attention towards him.

"Ha-ha, hey Danny!" She giggled. He couldn't fight the smile that lit up his face upon hearing her laugh, no matter how the state of her inebriation altered it. "Anyway I wanna leave but everyone's leaving and it's kind of just me and the hot guy here." Mindy stated factually.

"You might have to be a little more specific."

"Huh?"

"Who's the hot guy?"

"Who?"

"Mindy, for God's sake!" Danny shouted, now getting a little fed up with her drunkenness. "Who are you with?"

"Ohhhhhhh," Mindy dragged out the word. "Paul! You know, the _stupid _Doctor L." She laughed at this.

"Where are you?" Danny barked. "I'm coming to get you."

"Danny, no," Mindy attempted to order, but her voice just came out slurred and a tad whiney. "I am a grown up lady and I don't need your help. I've done this before."

"Yes," Danny sighed, "But those times you ended up going home with some guy and not having to worry about making it back to your place."

"Rude, Danny. And who says I'm not going home with a guy tonight, am I right Paul?" Mindy shouted. A deep male voice yelled back enthusiastically in response. Of course, he sounded smashed, even more so than Mindy.

At this point Danny was practically turning red with anger, he paused at the door to his apartment, clutching the handle until his knuckles turned a translucent white.

"Min," He growled through clenched teeth, still trying to grasp onto what little composure he had left. "Tell me where you are, now."

"I'm at that bar on 42nd, you know, the one we usually go to. But now I'm taking Paul back to his place. Gotta go Danny, text it!" Mindy shouted hurriedly.

"Dammit Mindy wait!" Danny yelled, but it was too late and his only response was the lifeless, monotone hum of a dead line. Danny searched through his contacts and hurriedly dialed another number. After almost five rings, someone finally answered.

"Morgan, it's Danny. I need your help. What? Ugh, yeah, yeah you're my brother…"

* * *

"You're a cool lady," Leotard slurred, clutching onto Mindy's back and letting her drag most of his weight. A goofy smile sat lazily on his lips and his eyes were practically shut.

"Yeah I know, I know," Mindy muttered uninterestingly.

He had been a complete idiot in the first cab, ending in them getting kicked out and having to walk at least four blocks to find another one. At this point Mindy was completely done with him and just wanted to cuddle into bed and forget this night had ever happened. They were in his apartment building now, walking down a hallway that never seemed to end. Somehow Mindy had managed to get him onto his bed – after basically wrestling him to get him into the bedroom – he was passed out before Mindy could turn off the light.

"After this hell of a night," Mindy muttered, entering the kitchen, "You'd bet your ass I'm taking some of your booze." She found a bottle of whiskey that had at least three quarters of the liquid still in it. _Perfect._ She took a couple shots, screwed the bottle tightly shut and stuffed it into her purse. Maybe he'd just assume he had drunk it, seeing as she doubted he would remember hardly anything from this evening. Mindy made sure to lock his door on the way out (one of those fancy automatic locks with the keypad on the outside) and set off back to the lobby so she could get the hell out of there and get home as fast as humanly possible.

When she reached the lobby she checked her phone: nothing. No missed calls, no texts, not even a twitter update. Go figure. At this point, the shots she had just taken snuck up on her and added to her already inebriated state. By the time she reached the sidewalk outside she had already lost her footing twice and almost bailed. Fearing she might get herself into trouble, she peered down at her phone screen again, waiting for a call that wouldn't come. Without thinking, Mindy turned to go back inside, figuring it would be better to crash on Paul's couch – she shuddered at the thought – than to meet her death on the streets of Manhattan at one in the morning.

"Ahem," A deep voice from the street behind her cleared their throat.

She turned to find Danny, looking kind of hot, leaning up against a cab right ahead of her.

"Oh thank god," She said under her breath, or at least what she thought was under her breath, as she picked up her pace and started toward him. She lost her footing just as she approached him, so he caught her before she could hit the ground and lifted her back up.

"Whoa, hey. Easy there," Danny said, sounding very concerned. Mindy loved it when he was concerned about her, but, of course, she'd never let him see that.

"How did you even find me? I didn't call you back."

"I figured Morgan would have Paul's address. He's a freaky guy but it comes in handy on occasion. Happy to see me?" He asked, chuckling a little. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her in a very sloppy hug. She felt his body stiffen, then sink into hers as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She could have sworn she felt him nuzzle slightly into her neck. Mindy sighed in relief.

Danny felt the time fade away as he held her. He was finally able to catch his breath knowing she was safe and not in that loser's bed. He reluctantly pulled away and ushered her into the cab, beginning their drive back to her apartment.

As they entered her place, Danny noticed Mindy's legs wobbling a lot more than usual, and he knew she couldn't walk any further. _Those stupid heels…_ Danny always wondered why she insisted on wearing them, especially while drinking.

"Here," He grabbed her hand and led her to the couch. She sat down as he scurried around the apartment, collecting her pillow and a few smaller blankets.

"You're too nice to me," Mindy stated, her voice melding into a yawn. "Not like that Leo-turd guy." Mindy began chuckling. "Did you hear that Danny? I said Leo-turd, not Leotard! I should be a comedian. Everyone keeps telling me so."

Danny couldn't help but laugh along with her. "Alright, let's get you to bed." Danny sighed, setting up her pillow and draping the blankets along her body, which was now lying down, sprawled along the couch. As he crouched near her head to grab the remotes that were on the armrest above her head, she quickly grabbed his hand and held it in hers.

"Thank you," She whispered tiredly. "For saving me tonight. You keep doing that, and I don't know why."

Something inside Danny snapped. It kept happening in moments like this, over and over again. The first time on the airplane, then in the doctor's lounge, the day he ran to see her in the hospital… Little moments that kept breaking him until the point of no return. He was afraid one day, definitely when they were both sober, that whatever she was doing to him would eventually make him step up and show her what she meant to him. That day, however, was most definitely not today.

Danny crouched down so he was eye level, but was careful not to get too close. He was always hyperaware of how close they were.

"I, uh, it's just what I do," He muttered awkwardly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"For me? Why?" She asked, her eyes fluttering closed.

Without really meaning to, the hand that wasn't holding hers reached up and tenderly smoothed out her hair. Mindy smiled, though she probably was barely conscious at this point, Danny figured.

"_Only_ for you," He whispered, releasing his grip from hers and standing. One day he'd answer the _why _part of that question, but until then that was the best he could do without saying something that could possibly ruin the most important friendship he'd ever had.

As he walked back towards the door he heard her stir, and turned around to see her staring right back at him, still lying down. She smiled sleepily, a sight that made Danny feel both heavy and weightless at the same time.

"You loovvvee me," She slurred groggily with a smirk and a smug tone. She then closed her eyes, finally drifting off to sleep.

Danny shook his head and walked to the front door, grabbing the handle and opening it. He chuckled to himself and looked back at her one last time.

"Shut up," He muttered with a smile, closing the door behind him as he left her apartment.


End file.
